Mud cleaning apparatus



N O T T A R T 5 c l MUD CLEANING APPARATUS F'iledsept. 7, 1948 IVENTOR.JAMES CSTRH TTON H TTOHA/f VS Patented Nov. 21, 1950 UNITED STATESFATENT OFFICE "MUD CLEANING APPARATUS James C. S-tratton, Baton, N. Mex.

ApplicationSeptember 7, 1948, Serial No. 48,106

3lClaims. (Cl. 210-199) separating drill cuttings, such as-shale, out ofwell drilling mud and conditioning the mud for fur' ther use, whichseparator is driven by pumpinduced flow of mud from the well into theseparator and requires .no separate power plant for its operation, isoperated at 'a speed dependent on the rate of flow and viscosityof'themud, is effective to remove most .Of the drill cuttingsfrom themud, deposit the cleaned mud in a suitable tank or pit providedtherefor, and deliver the removed cuttings to a location outside thetanker pit from which location the cuttings may beremoved by suitabledisposal means, which is adjustabl to vary its operating speed, andwhich issimple and durable inconstruction, economical to manufacture,and eas to install and operate.

Other objects and advantages will become ap: parent from a considerationof the following description and the appended claims in conjunction VFigure 5 is a transverse cross-section taken substantially on the line'55 of Figure 1 and showing in elevation an impeller mechanism securedto the hub illustrated in Figure 4 and operative to rotate the separatordrum;

Figure 6 is a top plan view. of an impeller blade in one position ofadjustment relative 'to the blade-carrying hub; I

Figure 7 is .a top plan view of the blade illustrated in Figure 6showing .-the=blade ina different position of adjustment; I

Figure 8 is an elevation on :a somewhat *enlarged-scale of the impellermechanism lookingin a direction from :right to left of vFigure d andshowing the impeller blades in:the position ofradjustmentillustratedzinrl ligure 6; and

Figure 9.is a viewpsiniilarrtoifiigure'fi showin the impeller bladesin'the'position of adjustment illustrated in Figure 7.

With continued reference to the drawing, numeral It generally'in-dicatesa frame for the separating apparatus which frame may convenientlyinclude a rectangular base II made up of convenient structural members,such as angle iron, :a pair of upstanding, U-shaped end structures 12and 13, the legs at the open ends of which structures are rigidlysecured to 'the ends of the base frame ll, and a top rod I4 extending,between the upper ends of the end structures l2 and I3 and rigidlysecured thereto by suitable means, such as the stud bolts 15 threadedthrough corresponding apertures provided in the upper or closed ends ofthe end structures and threaded into screw-threaded wells provided onein each end of the top rod M. This construction provides a rigid framefor the apparatus, which frame may be operatively mounted upon a tankused as a reservoir for drilling mud or upon a suitable supporting framextending over a pit in which the mud is stored during the interval oftime after it has been pumped from the .top of the well, and before itis returned to the bottom of the well through the drill stem tubing inthe conventional manner.

The end structure 1:3 is provided with a transversely-extending strut orplate in which is provided a central aperture and a flow-line nipple .96extends through such aperture to substantially its mid-length positionand is rigidly secured to the transversely-extending strut or plateofthe end structure $3, in a position such that it is substantiallyparallel to the frame base Ii. This nipple It may convenientlycomprise ashort, cylindrical section ofsteel tubing to which the outlet of thesludge pump which pumps the mud from the top of :the well is connected.

A cylindrical drum, generally indicated at it], ismoun'ted in theframel0 substantially in axial alignment with the nipple I6. The drum llcomprises a hollow cylinder ll! of steel tubing having a lengthsubstantially equal to the length of the frame 18 and provided withc1osely-spaced,e1ongated, narrow slots or apertures l9 extending throughits wall; These slots I 9 are of a width to permit theoildrilling mud topass freely therethrough while maintaining most of the drill cuttings inthe drum. The inner end of the nipple [6 extends into the adjacent endof the drum "I1 and an annular flange .29 is secured in this end of thedrum surrounding the inner end of the nipple. A suitable anti-frictionbearing is provided for holding this end of the drumin centered positionrelative to the nipple, and may comprise an inner-bearing race 2!secured on the nipple adjacent the frame end structure i 3, anouterbearing rac 22 surrounding the inner race 2|, anti-frictionelements, such as bearing balls 23, operatively disposed between theinner and outer races, and spokes 24 secured to and extending betweenthe outer side of flange and the periphery of the outer-bearing race 22.

A single strut 25 extends diametrically across the opposite end of thedrum, internally thereof, and is provided at its mid-length locationwith a cylindrical hub 26. An axle 2? projects inwardly from the lowerend of a bracket 28, the upper end of which is rigidly secured to theupper end of the frame end structure i2 by the corresponding stud bolt15, and a suitable antifriction bearing is preferably interposed betweenthe axle 2i and the hub 26 to rotatably support the corresponding end ofthe drum on the frame H). A spiral rib 29 extends around the interior ofthe drum cylinder from the internal, annular flange 26, to the oppositeend of the drum and is secured to the cylinder wall of the drum. Thepurpose of this rib is to move the mud and drill cutting aggregateintroduced into the drum from the nipple l6 toward the opposite end ofthe drum, the mud being discharged through the slots [9 and the cuttingsbeing discharged from the drum at the end thereof opposite the nipplefrom which location the cuttings may be removed by suitable disposalmeans, as may be necessary.

A base plate 30 is carried by the frame It below the drum I? to receivethe mud discharged through the drum slots 19 and this plate ispreferably curved downwardly from one side of the frame to the oppositeside so that the mud will be discharged to such other side of the frameand into the tank or pit above which the apparatus is mounted. This baseplate 30 preferably has upstanding end walls 3| to prevent the muddischarged from the drum from flowing outwardly of 'the ends of the baseplate.

An impeller mechanism, generally indicated at l 32, is carried by thedrum IT at the inner end of the nipple IE to impart rotation to the drumwhen subjected to a pump-induced fiow of drilling mud through theflow-line nipple IS.

The impeller mechanism, as illustrated, comprises an annular hub 33journaled on an axle 34 by means of an anti-friction bearing 35, andprovided with angularly-spaced-apart flats 36 on its periphery. The axleis carried by suitable angularly-spaced-apart bars 37 attached to andextending from the inner end of the nipple l6 inwardly of the drum I! tothe axle. In the arrangement illustrated, there are four flats 36 on thehub 33 and four impeller blades 38 are pivotally secured to the hub, oneat each of the flats 3E. The blades 33 are somewhat elliptical in shapeand are longitudinally curved and each is provided substantially midwayof the longer side of the ellipse at one side thereof with anoutwardly-extending apertured lug 39 for attaching theblade to the hub33. Four screwthreaded studs ii] extend radially outwardly of the hub33, each substantially centered relative to a corresponding fiat 36 andeach of these studs passes through the aperture in the lug of acorresponding impeller blade 38, a nut M is threaded onto the outer endof each stud and a coiled compression spring 52 surrounds each studbetween.the; corresponding nut ill and the corres n'din mpeller bladelug 39, so that the im- 4 peller blades ma be manually turned relativeto the hub about the axes of the corresponding studs 40 to adjustablyvary the angle of incidence of the impeller blades to the flow of mudfrom the inner end of nipple [6.

Four braces 43 extend one from the outer end of each impeller blade 38to the wall of the drum cylinder "3 and each brace terminates at its endMi remote from the corresponding impeller blade in a sector of a circle4'5 having a central aperture 46 and a series of apertures 41 adjacentthe arcuate edge thereof. A respective bolt 48 extends through thecentral aperture 46 in each brace end and through a correspondingaperture provided in the cylindrical wall of the drum and the braces 43are so inclined relative to the drum and the impeller blades that eachbolt 48 is substantially in axial alignment with a corresponding stud 40radially of the drum cylinder. Each bolt 58 extends outwardly of thedrum and a nut 49 is threaded onto the outer end of each such bolt. Arespective compression spring 59 surrounds each bolt 48 between the nut39 and the outer surface of the drum cylinder to resiliently urge thebolt outwardly of the drum. Four locking pins 5| extend throughangularly-spaced-apart apertures in the drum cylinder and one throughthe sector-shaped end or each impeller blade brace 4'3. These lockingpins extend through selected apertures 15'! to operatively hold theimpeller blades in positions of adjustment to provide a desiredrotational speed for the drum ll incident to the rate of flow andviscosity of the mud passing into the drum through the nipple l6.

With this apparatus, as the mud is pumped from the well through theflow-line nipple [5, it will be delivered into the drum I? and will flowthrough the slots E9 of the drum cylinder to the base plate 30 fromwhich it will be discharged to one side of the frame of the apparatusinto a suitable reservoir tank or pit. The drum ll will be rotated bythe impeller mechanism 32 as the mud is pumped into the drum and will bemoved by the spiral rib 29 longitudinally of the drum from the end ofthe drum adjacent the nipple it to the opposite end of the drum. Duringthis passage, substantially all of the mud will pass in a cleanedcondition through the slots [9 and the drill cuttings pumped into thedrum with the mud will be moved by the spiral rib lengthwise of the drumand discharged therefrom at the end of the drum opposite the line-flownipple 5 at a location from which the cuttings can be convenientlyremoved by suitable disposal means.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embracedtherein.

What is claimed is:

1. A separating apparatus comprising a frame including spaced upstandingends, a substantially horizontal tubular nipple mounted upon one end ofthe frame and projecting longitudinally inwardly of such end for aslight distance for receiving oil well mud to be separated, a bearingshaft mounted upon the opposite end of the frame and disposed in axialalignment with the nipple, a substantially cylindrical drum extendingbetween the ends of the frame and having its opposite ends rotatablymounted upon the nipple and bearing shaft, the drum having perforationsin its side and including an inner spiral Vane secured to the innersurface of the drum and extending for substantially its entire length, anonrotatable shaft positioned within said drum in axial alignment withand spaced from the inner end of the nipple and secured to said nipple,an annular ring rotatably mounted upon the shaft, a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced impeller blades secured to the annular ring forrotation therewith and extending radially outwardly of the ring andspaced radially from the inner surface of the drum, and generally radialbrackets secured to the drum near the annular ring and having theirinner ends secured to the impeller blades.

2. A separator apparatus, comprising a frame including spaced upstandingends, a substantially horizontal tubular nipple secured to one end ofthe frame and spaced from the bottom of the frame for receivin oil wellmud to be separated, a substantially horizontal bearing shaft secured tothe opposite end of the frame and disposed in axially alignment with thenipple, a substantially horizontal perforated cylindrical drum disposedbetween the ends of the frame and having its opposite ends rotatablymounted upon the nipple and bearing shaft, a spiral vane secured to theinner surface of the drum and extending for substantially the entirelength of the drum, a substantially horizontal non-rotatable shaftpositioned within said drum in axial alignment with and spaced from theinner end of the nipple and secured to said nipple, radial studs securedto the annular ring for rotation therewith and spaced circumferentiallyabout the ring, impeller blades pivotally connected with the radialstuds and extending radially outwardly of the ring and axially thereofupon one side of the ring, the impeller blades being disposed adjacentto the end of the drum connected with the nipple, generally radialbrackets secured to the impeller blades, radial bolts carried by thedrum, the outer ends of the brackets being pivotally connected with thebolts, and pin means connecting the drum and brackets for locking theimpeller blades in selected adjusted positions upon the radial studs.

3. A separator apparatus, comprising a frame including spaced upstandingends, a substantially horizontal tubular nipple secured to one end ofthe frame for receiving oil Well mud to be separated, a substantiallyhorizontal bearing shaft secured to the opposite end of the frame anddisposed in axial alignment with the nipple, a substantially horizontalperforated drum arranged between the ends of the frame and having itsopposite ends rotatably mounted upon the nipple and bearing shaft, thenipple extending into the drum, a substantially horizontal nonrotatablyshaft positioned within said drum in axial alignment with and spacedfrom the inner end of the nipple and secured to said nipple, bracketsconnecting the nipple and non-rotatable shaft and supporting such shaft,an annular ring rotatably mounted upon the non-rotatable shaft,circumferentially spaced radial studs vsecured to the ring, inclinedimpeller blades pivotally mounted upon the studs for rotation with thering and drum, the impeller blades extending axially of the ring uponone side thereof and toward the nipple and radially outwardly of thering, inclined brackets secured to the impeller blades near their outerextremities and extending near the inner surface of the drum, outeraxially extending plates secured to the inclined brackets and arrangedadjacent to the inner surface of the drum and provided with mainopenings and a plurality of adjustment openings spaced from the mainopenings, radial bolts carried by the drum and extending through themain openings of the plates, and radial locking pins carried by the drumand adapted to enter the adjustment openings of the plates for lockingthe impeller blades in selected adjusted positions.

JAMES C. STRATTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 686,263 Conley Nov. 12, 19011,036,122 Kellogg Aug. 20, 1912 1,301,683 Goddu Apr. 22, 1919 1,485,552Colby Mar. 4, 1924 1,741,444 Slider Dec. 31, 1929 2,206,593 Beebe July2, 1940 2,321,243 Range June 8, 1943

